Pakistan Flood Relief

Dear Fellow Students:

The floods in Pakistan that began over the summer have impacted more people than the 2005 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 2005 South Asia Earthquake, and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake combined. However, the funding so far is nowhere near the levels raised during those emergencies.

The crisis is not over. Currently, 20% of the country is underwater and the rains will continue until at least September. In addition to the 1,500 people who've lost their lives and the more than 5 million who've lost their homes, millions more are being impacted by cholera and other waterborne diseases, skin infections, and respiratory infections. The recovery will take time.

The EWMBA Association would like to invite you to help if you are able. There are a large number of organizations that are working to help meet the immediate needs of the survivors. We've selected just a few to simplify the list. Please see the links below.

To all of our students with friends and family in Pakistan, please know that our thoughts are with you and yours.

Sincerely,
Monika Matthews
EWMBAA Community Service Committee Co-Chair


Relief Organizations:

CARE
http://www.care.org/
Distributing shelter, tents, non-food items, and operating health clinics.

Hidaya Foundation
http://www.hidaya.org/
Distributing food, tents, and household supplies. Complies with Zakat distribution requirements.
Islamic Relief
http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/pakistan-floods
Coordinating medical shipments, refugee camps, and distribution of food and household supplies.

World Food Programme USA
Text "AID" to 27722 to give $10 via your cell phone bill
Using helicopters to transport food to people in isolated communities across the Swat Valley.

For more information about various aid organizations, visit the following links:
http://www.chowrangi.com/donation-links-and-relief-resources-for-pakistan-flood-victims.html
http://www.chowrangi.com/mgive-mobile-donation-campaigns-to-assist-flood-victims-in-pakistan.html
http://www1.networkforgood.org/support-flood-relief-pakistan

Relay For Life

JOIN the Haas SF Relay For Life Team!

It's NOT a race! You don't have to run! Just come have a great time hanging out with other Haasies under the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge in support of the American Cancer Society!

Our very own Shelby Chin is the Chair of this amazing event that takes place every year in San Francisco. Over the past couple of years, we've gotten more Haas students out, and this year we have a team that's already been generously sponsored by a local foundation.

August 21-22 in San Francisco!

Back to School Backpack Drive

The Community Service Committee is running a backpack drive to help kids get back to school with the supplies they need for success. You can help!

http://haasewmbaa-communityservice.blogspot.com/2010/07/back-to-school-backpack-drive.html

Haas Community Day

It's National Volunteer Week and the EWMBA Community Service Committee has lined up two exciting events. Reach Beyond Yourself and take part in the HAAS Community Weekend!

**Both events are kiddo friendly! Bring your families!**

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SATURDAY

HAAS Community Weekend - Hemophilia 5K Walk!

Hemophilia is a genetic bleeding disorder that prevents the blood from clotting normally. The main symptom is uncontrolled, often spontaneous bleeding. Internal bleeding into the muscles and joints can result in pain, swelling and, if left untreated, can cause permanent damage.

We will have teams representing the FTMBA, EWMBA, and Alumni. The Cesar Chavez Park is a hidden gem in Berkeley. Bring your kids and walk along the shoreline overlooking the Golden Gate bridge. Support us by joining a team or donating to us!

When: 4/17/2010 @ 9:00 AM

Location: Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley

Sign up: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/LOXXSROWWDJETFLCSENR/hemo


Contact: Vikas Meka (vikas_meka@mba.berkeley.edu)


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SUNDAY

Haas Community Weekend - Urban Sprouts!

Join your fellow Haas MBA students while helping SF kids learn about healthy eating! We'll work on a school garden helping build a compost area, worm bin, and new garden bed. Make sure to wear long pants and closed toed shoes. They will have all the tools and supplies that you will need but bring your own water bottles! If you have gardening gloves, bring those as well.

Afterward we'll treat you to lunch nearby!

When: 4/18/2010 @ 9:00 AM

Location: Urban Sprouts at Martin Luther King Academy - 350 Girard St. in San Francisco


Sign up: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/ABKTNZBVARTTDDIZECUH/communitydaysf

Contact: Monika Matthews (monika_matthews@mba.berkeley.edu)


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Remember both events count toward hours required to graduate as a Haas Community Fellow!

The Economist Magazine Innovation Conference: The Ideas Economy

Tuesday was the first day of the Economist Magazine's inaugural conference on innovation: The Ideas Economy, hosted at Haas (you can follow it on Twitter through the hashtag #ideaseconomy), so I (Hector) decided to crash it. Actually, the Economist was gracious enough to provide Haas some complimentary registrations. So while many of you are out vacationing in some of the most remote corners of the world (or of your offices), I was developing my competitive advantage by learning from some of the best innovators that are part of the Economist's network.

The morning began with with Professor Jared Diamond (UCLA) giving us a perspective on "the great challenges of the 21st century" where it was suggested that with the increase in global connections comes an increase in the prospects of global collapse. His engaging and thought provoking opening informed us that the unequal consumption of limited resources is unsustainable and that one should question the notion that greater consumption equates to a higher standard of living. Key Takeaway: Stuff does not equal quality of life.

I'll spare you a play by play analysis of the long yet engaging and well produced day. You can visit the conference website for more details, but I will give you a bulleted list of other soundbites, quotables and key takeaways:

• Our capitalist system rewards people who create no value (I think this was during a discussion on the collapse)
• If you double 1% 7 times you will get to 100%
• Leadership is being able to see the iceberg before it hits the Titanic
• Disruption is one of the ingredients of innovation
• Markets should seek to prosper not win

But my favorite took place during an Oxford style debate between the team of Robert Reich (Cal) and Shirley Ann Jackson (Rensselaer Poly) against John Perry Barlow (Electronic Frontier Foundation) and Tyler Cowen (George Mason U) on the topic of whether government is a key engine of innovation. One of the arguments against it was posed by Cowen when he quipped that government has never innovated any sexual positions. Worth the price of admission.

New Executive Team

I am a bit late updating the blog but better late than never. Anlei and the rest of the executive team have set a high bar that we are going to try and match this year.

By way of introduction my name is Asad Baheri, I am a second year student and the new Vice-President. The spring semester is well underway. All of us have Saturday classes which makes it easy to keep in touch and now that the various committees are under way we have a little breathing room to catch up on the blog and implement some of the suggestions from the previous year.

It looks like it will be a busy summer for all of us, I am part of the summer China trip which should be a very interesting experience. Next time, photo update for the blog.

Haas Community Fellows - Logging Volunteer Hours

Just wanted to remind all of you that the deadline to submit your hours for the Haas Community Fellows Program is April 15th of your graduating year. This is especially important for those of you who are graduating this May! Don't forget!

If you're wondering how to log your time, it's simple. We've worked with Beth and the IT team to create a new and easy way for you to submit your hours.

Read More!